𝐌𝐈𝐙𝐏𝐀𝐇 ☙ ᵍˡᵉⁿⁿ ʳʰᵉᵉ

chapter two

𝟎𝟐 - 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒

𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐲. rory's heart pounds as she watches rick lower the gun from his head, relief flooding her senses. they share a profound gaze, understanding passing between them. rick's hands tremble as he rushes to the radio, his desperation palpable as he bangs his head against the cold metal pole.

"hey, you alive in there?" the voice repeats, tinged with a hint of concern.

"hello? hello?" rick says desperately, finally getting his hands on the radio.

"ah, there you are," they say with a sigh of relief, "you had me wondering."

"where are you? outside? can you see me right now?" rick asks, panic coursing through his veins.

"yeah, i can see you. you're surrounded by walkers, that's the bad news," the mysterious male says, stating the obvious.

"there's good news?" rory interjects, snatching the radio from rick, making him shake his head at her.

"nope," comes the blunt reply.

"listen, whoever you are, i don't mind telling you, me and my friend are a little concerned in here," rory replies, frustration seeping into her smooth voice.

"oh man... you should see it from over here," he sighs, "you'd be having a major freak out."

"got any advice for us?" rick says, reclaiming the phone from his stressed-out friend.

"yeah... make a run for it," he suggests, his voice tinged with apprehension.

"that's it, make a run for it!?" rory says, her annoyance palpable as she snatches the phone back from rick's hand.

"my way's not as dumb as it sounds. you've got eyes on the outside here," the voice reassures, attempting to diffuse the tension. "there's one geek still up on the tank, but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where your horse went down," he explains, his voice brimming with determination to assist them. "you with me so far?"

"so far," the pair agree in unison.

"okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. if you guys move now while they're distracted, you stand a chance," he commands, his tone confident.

"okay. okay," rory replies, her hope flickering as she prays that this mysterious man will be their savior.

"you got any ammo? guns?" he asks, practicality cutting through the urgency.

"yeah, quite a lot," rick confirms, eyeing his duffel bag filled with guns and ammo.

"great. make 'em count. jump off the right side of the tank, then keep going in that direction. there's an alley, up the street, i wanna say 50 yards. be there," he directs, finalizing the plan with precision.

"hey boy, what's your name?" rick quickly asks, a sense of gratitude underlying his urgency.

"have you been listening to me? you're running out of time!" the voice reminds them urgently.

"right. thank you," rick says gratefully, acknowledging the debt they owe to this unknown ally. if it weren't for him, both rick and rory would likely be dead by now.

the pair exchange a quick glance, silently agreeing to open the hatch on the roof. with a determined push, rick swings it open, only to be met with a growling walker. without hesitation, rory plunges her iconic knife into its skull, dispatching it swiftly. together, they climb out onto the roof, their movements precise and calculated. as they scan their surroundings, the eerie silence is broken only by the gruesome sounds of the monsters tearing into what remains of the horse's flesh. with a coordinated effort, they leap off the large metal tank, their landing punctuated by grunts that inadvertently attract nearby walkers, alerting them to the presence of living humans. rick swiftly draws his gun, firing rounds at the encroaching walkers, while rory expertly dispatches them with her knife, their brains meeting a swift end as their skulls are crushed beneath her blade. they move with practiced efficiency, destroying any walkers that cross their path as they rush down the street.